Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA)
What is Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA)
Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) is the process of Council review and acceptance which applies to certain developments where Engineering Acceptance is required before an application for Resource Consent or Building Consent may be lodged, and where:
- the building forms part of a multi-unit development; or
- the proposed works require changes to infrastructure owned or administered by Council or Selwyn Water.
The corresponding Selwyn Water process is known as Engineering Design Approval (EDA) and is administered by Selwyn Water separately. For more information, refer to the Selwyn Water’s Land Development page.
Note:
Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) is a separate process from Engineering Acceptance (EA). It is important to determine which approval applies to your project before submitting an application. See Council's Engineering Acceptance (EA) page for information on when this is required and how to apply.
Council cannot process applications for Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) concurrently with Resource Consent or Building Consent applications. Where Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) is required, it must be obtained before a Resource Consent or Building Consent application is lodged. Any application lodged without a valid BCEA will be returned to the applicant as incomplete.
When to apply
Engineering pre-acceptance is typically required for Urban Multi-unit developments and for works involving new or upsized connections to Council or Selwyn Water infrastructure. When applying for consent for these types of works, the relevant pre-acceptance from Council and Selwyn Water must be obtained and submitted to Council in support of the relevant Consent application.
Urban Multi-unit developments
Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) for Urban Multi-unit developments is required where:
- applying for Building Consent or Resource Consent related to development of between 2 and 12 units; or
- Council has specifically advised that Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) is required.
Where drinking water or wastewater servicing is also involved, Engineering Design Approval (EDA) engineering pre-acceptance will be required from Selwyn Water. For more information, refer to Selwyn Water’s land development page for the specific Engineering Design Approval (EDA) requirements that apply.
Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) does not apply to:
- bare land subdivisions (ie. where vacant lots will be created by the proposal); or
- multi-unit development of more than 12 units.
These developments will generally require a civil engineering design to address the conditions of the relevant Resource Consent.
Note: For the purposes of this process:
- Urban means land zoned for residential, commercial/mixed use or industrial purposes under the Partially Operative Selwyn District Plan.
- Multi-unit means more than one principal residential unit or principal building on a parent or resultant site within the residential, commercial/mixed use or industrial zones.
New or upsized connections to Network Utility Operator (NUO) infrastructure
Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) is also required where a project involves:
- a new or upsized connection to Council infrastructure outside the private property boundary; or
- works within the road corridor, other than a single residential vehicle crossing for each lot.
Where your project requires new or upsized connections to drinking water or wastewater infrastructure outside your property boundary, then you will require an Engineering Design Approval (EDA) pre-approval from Selwyn Water.
Stock Underpass
Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) is required for proposed stock underpasses where the works involve Council infrastructure or the road corridor. The BCEA process allows Council to assess the proposed underpass design and its impacts on Council assets, drainage, access and road safety.
Why Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) is required
Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) allows Council to assess the proposed development before Building or Resource Consent is granted and to confirm that relevant Council infrastructure and servicing requirements have been addressed.
The review may consider matters such as servicing availability, connections to existing infrastructure, road corridor matters and surface water requirements, and whether the proposed infrastructure configuration is suitable for the development and any potential future subdivision. It will also provide approval for services that are not configured or designed in a manner complying with Council administered bylaws.
Where drinking water or wastewater servicing is involved, the corresponding Selwyn Water pre-approval process, known as Engineering Design Approval (EDA), allow Selwyn Water to assess that the relevant drinking water and wastewater servicing requirements have been considered. For further information on why an Engineering Design Approval (EDA) may be required, refer to Selwyn Water’s land development page.
Matrix of pre- approvals to support applications ( refer definition Multi unit)
| Development Type | Infrastructure Cert | EA/EDA | BCEA/EDA Prior approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subdivision bare land (2-12 lots) | ✔ Required for RC | ✔ Required after RC conditions set | ✖ Not applicable |
| Multi-unit (1-3 buildings) | ✖ Not required | ✔ Required for RC and/or BC | |
| Multi-unit (4-12 buildings) | ✔ Required | ✔ Required for RC and/or BC | |
| Multi-unit (12+ buildings) | ✔ Required for RC | ✔ Required after RC conditions set | ✖ Not applicable |
| Service connection (new / upsized) | ✖ Not required | ✔ Required for BC | |
| Road corridor works | ✖ Not required | ✔ Required for RC and/or BC | |
| High demand building | ✔ CCA required | ✔ Required for RC and/or BC |
Assessment Considerations
Council assesses applications for Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) development proposals against the relevant requirements of the Engineering Code of Practice, District Plan and applicable industry good practice. Depending on the nature of the development, the assessment may consider matters such as:
- Road corridors
- Access and vehicle crossings
- Earthworks
Council is also responsible for Surface Water matters associated with the proposed development, including:
- Stormwater
- Water races
- Land drainage
Water and Wastewater
Selwyn Water similarly assesses applications for engineering pre-approvals against the Engineering Code of Practice, District Plan and applicable industry good practice. For information on what is considered during Engineering Design Approval (EDA), refer to Selwyn Water’s land development page.
Infrastructure Servicing Certificates
An Infrastructure Servicing Certificate may be required to support an application for Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) or Engineering Design Approval (EDA). In this case, you will need to apply for and obtain the relevant Infrastructure Servicing Certificate, prepare your design with consideration of the matters raised in the certificate, then submit your application for Prior Engineering Acceptance (BCEA) and/or Engineering Design Approval (EDA) to the relevant authority, and include your Infrastructure Servicing Certificate in your application.
For Council, the relevant certificate is a Surface Water Certificate. This certificate confirms whether there is sufficient capacity to service the proposed development and identifies any limitations or other matters that may need to be considered or addressed in the design. For information on when a Surface Water Certificate is required, and how to apply, see the Infrastructure Servicing Certificate - 5 Waters.
For Selwyn Water, the corresponding certificate is a Capacity and Connection Assessment (CCA). For information about when a CCA is required, what it assesses and how to apply, refer to Selwyn Water’s land development pages.